Zara Martin

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Upon first glance, this month's stalkee, Zara Martin, has style in spades, but there is more to this British beauty than meets the eye. Talented in many respects, Martin spent the last five years successfully accumulating creative skills in a variety of fields, including writing (in addition to her own blog on fashion, art, and culture, she also contributed weekly articles for the e-commerce site Fashion Rocks), TV hosting (she's worked on shows for MTV and Current TV, and recently presented for London Fashion Weekend), and DJing for a slew of fashion events, like the Versace for H&M launch party. And as if that wasn't enough to keep this Londoner busy, Martin has added designer to her lengthy list of trades. This past September, she teamed up with British fashion house BodyAmr to create BodyAmr & Zara Martin, a capsule collection of seven pieces, which debuted at London Fashion Week. We've also just learned that she's currently working on an accessories line with Made.uk, a very exciting development indeed! Intrigued by her range of talents and thoughtfully constructed ensembles, we couldn't resist the opportunity to take a closer look at some of Martin's most unforgettable fashion choices in our January Style Stalker feature!

Much like her ever-expanding resume, Martin's multifarious approach to dressing ranges from edgy, downtown ensembles to wonderfully feminine looks. While she often gravitates towards the former-as seen by her appreciation of neutral hues, leather accents, and semi-sheer details-the latter is perfectly exemplified by the outfit she assembled for Mulberry's 40th anniversary bash in New York back in September (top, right). Our style subject picked a nude pleated dress and metallic gold ankle booties (both from the British fashion house's F/W 11 collection) finished with Mulberry's Heritage Bayswater Bag ($1300), vintage jewelry, and bright pink lipstick for a chic look perfectly suited for both day and evening fashion events.

In addition to her tough-meets-tender sensibilities, we must also note Martin's fondness for of-the-moment prints and interesting textures, and more importantly, her ability to mix the two with ease. Take, for example, the outfit she wore to the Bora Aksu S/S 12 show during London Fashion Week (center image), which consisted of an embroidered jacket with furry trim, black lace top, and leather pants! We're also smitten with her clever combination of a printed crop top, leather pants, fringed belt, and leopard-print heels (bottom, right), a cross that seamlessly weaves multiple trends into one standout look!

Want to know more about Martin and her knockout ensembles? We thought so, which is why we not only gathered need-to-know details for each of today's featured looks, but also rounded up a bevy of products to help you create likeminded ensembles. Plus, we even put together a must-read Q&A with Martin, where she shares some of her style icons, favorite places to shop, and more!

Please describe your personal style in two sentences or less.
Hair and heels.

How does the city you live in inspire your day-to-day style?
Massively. I don't think it would be acceptable to wear the amount of black leather that I do if I lived on Ipanema Beach. Thankfully (debatable), I call London home.

List some of your favorite current trends and why you appreciate them/how you are wearing them.
If I'm honest I don't know how closely I follow trends, but I just did a '60s-vibe shoot for NYLON, which I know is a huge one! Other than that, I am really happy that the whole Goth lace/leather/velvet thing still seems to be hanging around so I can continue to embrace my inner emo. I prefer dressing for the cold weather, and find the materials in autumn/winter collections so much more interesting.

Who are some of your style icons and why?
I once read that "style is not elegance, but consistency," so I think I have to go for Daphne Guinness and Lenny Kravitz. I admire their commitment to always looking different, but the same.

Name one go-to piece in your closet and why?
Mechante of London Zara ankle boots-my good friend, Deborah Lyons is the brains behind the brand and named them after me, because apparently I remind her of pony-skin booties? But, for a night on the town, my default dress has to be the Saturday from my collaboration with BodyAmr.

List some of your favorite places to shop?
Vicente Ganesha in Ibiza
The Reformation in New York
Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles
The Village Bicycle in London
Alfie's Antique Market in London
L'Eclaireur Marais in Paris
Fifi Chachnil in Paris
Topshop in London